Spicy Fish Cake Soup (Maeun Eomuk Tang)
How to Make a Deliciously Spicy and Flavorful Fish Cake Soup
This isn’t just any fish cake soup; it’s a fiery delight! We’re making ‘Maeun Eomuk Tang’ with a broth infused with the heat of Vietnamese and Cheongyang peppers, plus a generous kick of spicy Cheongyang chili powder for that signature bold and zesty flavor. It’s fantastic with rice but truly shines as the ultimate companion to a cold drink. Get ready to feel refreshed from the inside out with this invigorating, spicy broth!
Main Ingredients- 10 pieces of square fish cakes (eomuk)
- 2 sheets of dried kelp (dashima) for broth
- 1 large green onion (white part mainly)
- 1/4 medium radish (mu)
- 4 Cheongyang peppers
- 7 Vietnamese chili peppers (adjust to your spice preference)
Seasoning Ingredients- 1000ml (approx. 5 cups) water
- 1 Tbsp Korean soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1.5 Tbsp anchovy sauce or fish sauce (chamchi-aek)
- 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Cheongyang chili powder (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1000ml (approx. 5 cups) water
- 1 Tbsp Korean soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1.5 Tbsp anchovy sauce or fish sauce (chamchi-aek)
- 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp red pepper paste (gochujang)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp Cheongyang chili powder (adjust to your spice preference)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start with the secret to a deeply flavorful broth! Prepare your broth ingredients. In a pot, combine the 1/4 radish (cleaned), the white part of 1 large green onion, 4 Cheongyang peppers for a zesty kick, and 2 sheets of kelp for umami. (Alternatively, you can use pre-made broth packs or anchovy broth.)
Step 2
For an extra fiery kick, add the Vietnamese chili peppers. You can place them in a tea bag or simply add them whole. Lightly crushing them beforehand will release more of their aroma and heat.
Step 3
Pour 1000ml of water into the pot with the prepared ingredients. Once the water comes to a boil, remove the kelp after about 5 minutes. Boiling kelp for too long can result in a bitter taste.
Step 4
Increase the heat to high and let the broth simmer uncovered. Allow it to boil vigorously for about 20 minutes, ensuring the vegetables release their delicious flavors into the liquid.
Step 5
Once the broth has been sufficiently infused, remove the tea bag (or Vietnamese peppers) and all the vegetables used for the broth. You want to be left with a clean, aromatic broth. The vegetables will have imparted their flavor even after removal.
Step 6
Now, it’s time to season the broth! Add 1 Tbsp Korean soy sauce for soup, 1.5 Tbsp anchovy sauce, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 2 Tbsp rice wine, 1 Tbsp red pepper paste, and 2 Tbsp Cheongyang chili powder. Stir well to combine, then bring the broth back to a simmer.
Step 7
Add all 10 prepared fish cakes, cut into bite-sized pieces, to the simmering broth. The fish cakes will absorb the flavorful broth, making the soup richer.
Step 8
To ensure the fish cakes are well-infused with the soup’s flavors, gently flip them occasionally while simmering for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the fish cakes, as they can become mushy.
Step 9
Your deliciously spicy and flavorful ‘Maeun Eomuk Tang’ is ready! Enjoy the warm, invigorating broth and the chewy fish cakes.
